Hi guys...are you really want to join IAAS Expro?? are you sure U ready for shock culture and travelling around the world? are you ready to be different people then and get a lot of chances during and after ur exchange?? if so, lets start now :)
Lets see, expro, ur mind will imagine about travelling aboard right? Europe especially. no doubt about it, it happened to me also. actually i have no special or secret tips and trick for u to pass expro, u just need to apply online, make interview with your Lexco, and yes find a lot of informations about ur destination countries and hosting places there. u can ask IAASer from ur destination countries (the nexco or member), or ask ur friends who have already did expro from that countries, be self confidence !!! .dont worry about the language, hey, never think u will make mistakes or not, i believe u can speak English, u all, u just need more self confidence and be brave, and sssstttt....... dont worry, Europian national language is not English, so yeah they also same like us, so, it doesn't matter at all now for the language right?
I am doing expro in Siikajoki north Finland now, until December. almost Finland host ask us to stay for a year, some 6 months. i learn a lot of things during here: practice in the cow's farm directly (things like cleaning the cow's house, cleaning milking pipe and drinking cup of cows, change fly paper, milking, feeding, cleaning cows), join the local events and some activities with host family (like fun during easter with the host's daughter and got free chocholates from neighbours and use clown make up, vacation with host family to the ski center in Lapland, celebrate the 90th birthday of host's father, go to host daughter's school and meet teenage friends, go to supermarket together by car or bike, play snow with host's daughter, cycling), and yes....u will see u will find ur self during here (and u will be more open minded people :) ).
I do the real work from monday until saturday, normally until friday, but its difficult when u are working in cow's farm. and u will get day off in sunday, but sometimes u don't get every sunday, its depend on ur agreement with ur host because of some cases (like some machinery troubles in farm, or ur host invite u to vacation with them, so u will get no day off in sunday then). i got a very comfort and nice flat with complete facilities during here like internet access unlimited time, bike, washing machine, nice kitchen, nice and comfort bed. and yes, u must cook ur own food during here. but my suggestion: u must think first about stay for a year, remember, u will be alone here (only u the worker here....!!) and far from crowded town, so maybe better try 4 or 6 months 1st then u can decide to stay longer or not, because u will sign the binding paper contract with ur host.
hmmm...how can i say to survive in other country? we need some adaptation of course, its depend on each person, a week, a month, or more. but remember about the extreme climate here, in winter the temperature can reach -35 C but in summer just around 25 C and sometimes rain in summer. so i suggest u to bring some kind of chlotes (dont bring a lot of chlotes. u only get 20 kgs max for ur bagage in airport. just bring important chlotes like chlotes for work, for winter and summer time. u can wash by machine during here), like thick jacket (1), cap (2, u need it especially in winter), thick shock (3 pairs), pants (3 pairs long pants and 2 pairs short pants), shoes (2 pairs, for winter and sumer), sandal (1 pair), sweater (1), shirt (3-5), small bag (1-2, to travel), some foods from Indonesia like hot sauce and instant seasoning, notebook and pen, handphone (use XL, no need activated for international roaming) and its complements, digital camera and its complements, ur own medicine, equipments for shower, flasdisk or external hardisk (if u want u can also bring ur laptop), eee..... dont forget ur passport and documents related with that (hahahahhaa...its the most important thing to travel aboard).
culture shock? i am not feel it during here (maybe just for extreme climate), its not too different with Indonesia. yeah maybe just like the calling here without bro or sis like Indonesian do to appreciate older people, here u can call the name directly even he or she much older than u, its normal. about the food and beverage like pork, gluten, alcohol, its depend on u, no one here can force or forbid u to consume that, but they can help u to choose food or beverage free from that. and yes, dont worry for girl use hejab, no one think u are freak, they just corious. maybe the problem is just local language, its not common people here speak English, they use their local language: Finnish, so its better u learn some important words like kiitos (thanks), terve (halo), hi hi (good bye) for some cases. some people here also speak Estonian and Swedish language, but English is very rare (except in big city like Helsinki).
about travelling aboard, hahaha, i still haven't much experiences yet about this (we have a lot of works to do here, thats why i seldom travel to other places or countries, maybe after expro :) ). i just enjoy cycling during here. Finland, especially Siikajoki is the best place for cycling while enjoy the fresh air and nature, still a lot of forests. when i was in Ski center in Lapland (vacation with host family), i did ski, saw directly people did snow boarding and down ski from the hill. its really nice view for me, of course i also took many pictures during here. oh yeah, if u are lucky, u will see aurora (running fox) during in Finland, i ever saw it twice, green color, but bad I cant took picture of that. and in summer, u will see beautiful sky at 10 -11 pm in bright days: pink, yellow, orange, blue, combination colors.
if u want to study in Finland, u will get many advantages: no cost for study and yes u can get loan for ur study, just check CIMO (Center of International Mobility) for detail information. my suggestion is Helsinki University, the best university in Finland.
ok, finally its the end of my expro story. for more information (contact person and technical things, dont hesitate to contact me through my facebook or just sent me ur email at puzzy_catty@yahoo.com and putrindri@gmail.com, i will be very glad to answer u :) ).
''join IAAS Expro: be shock culture, be different people, and get many chances to explore the world..............!!!!''
